afran was selected by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to supply the electrical power
distribution and back-up power generation systems on its new KC-390 military transport aircraft. This
represents a real challenge for the electrical energy system specialist, which has broadened its field of expertise for the requirements of this programme. It marks
yet another step towards “more electric” aircraft.
It is no coincidence that Hispano-Suiza (Safran) is
working on the KC-390. Two key factors played their
role: firstly, Embraer was interested in working with
new suppliers in the field of electrical power generation and distribution and, secondly, Hispano-Suiza
responded to this requirement by putting forward an
innovative range, through the Safran Power division.
The contract includes the supply of the primary and

secondary electrical distribution systems as well as
the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a back-up electrical generation system.
The primary electrical power distribution system is
the heart of an aircraft’s electrical system. It encompasses the energy generated by all power sources on
the aircraft and ensures that this energy is available
for all aircraft systems by intelligently managing the
network. The secondary power distribution system
provides electrical power for equipment that can be
turned on or off as need according to the flight phase,
such as interior/exterior lighting and the cabin air
management system.
Other Safran companies are also working on the
KC-390: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty was selected for the
brakes and landing gear and Sagem for the horizontal
stabiliser trim control system. SP

Owned, published and printed by Jayant Baranwal, printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt Ltd
and published at A-133, Arjun Nagar (Opposite Defence Colony), New Delhi 110 003, India.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, recording, electronic,
or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishers.

www.spguidepublications.com
www.spsmai.com

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From the

Editor’s Desk

Securing India’s
porous borders

T

he task of securing India’s borders is mammoth, as the country shares vast border areas with China (over 4,000 km); Pakistan (nearly 3,000 km); Bangladesh (over 3,300 km); Nepal
(about 1,700 km); Burma (nearly 1,500 km); Bhutan (605 km); and
Afghanistan (106 km). With infiltration into India continuing from
some of the neighbours, adding to internal strife, the need to seal
the borders is urgent, even while inter-country dialogues take place.
Recently, the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde conceded that “infiltration from Pakistan into India is continuing and
our security forces are ‘very alert’ in dealing with it”. While commending the security forces, the political leadership has to take
some hard decisions – invest in securing the borders. The example
of the United States on how it took a number of stringent initiatives
to secure its borders, post-9/11 has to be studied. It is not that the
US has developed a foolproof system, but it is one which is very
effective. Unlike the US, India is more at risk if the borders are not
secured, considering the volatile situation in the neighbourhood.
The meeting of the Home Secretaries of India and Bangladesh in
Dhaka recently wherein the two sides discussed issues such as border management, security, land boundary demarcation etc. have to
be a continuous process and monitored regularly. The coordinated
border management plan, we hope, will help in checking infiltration.
Taking the issue further, Lt General (Retd) P.C. Katoch in his
fortnightly column, points out that China and Pakistan are busy
synergising the insurgent outfits in India to create a compact revolutionary zone (CRZ), which sounds ominous. The Indian political
leadership should take note of this and check infiltration before it
takes on dangerous proportions. As such India is reportedly home
for about 40 million illegal weapons, with annual trade of $4 million.
They are certainly not coming through airports. The land and sea
borders have to be sealed tight.
In this issue, we have two interesting features on tactical communication system (TCS) which the Indian Army badly needs. The
TCS programme is estimated to cost about $1.8 billion and when
fielded with requisite mobile terminals network, will fulfil a long-

4 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

standing critical operational void of the Indian Army. Both Lt General Katoch and Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand have outlined the
advantages of the TCS, albeit delayed.
At the 23rd edition of Euronaval 2012 in Paris, Saudi Arabia was
under the arclights. The Euronaval Show Report by R. Chandrakanth
speaks about Western OEMs looking at emerging markets to shore
up their dwindling revenues.
On the acquisition front, India has picked the US-built Boeing
CH-47F Chinook for the IAF’s heavy-lift helicopter requirement.
Chinook pipped Russia’s Mi-26T2 on price. The US may have lost
out on the MMRCA deal, but they are winning in spurts as can be
seen from Boeing getting orders for AH-64D Apache, P-8I Poseidon
for the Indian Navy and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
With sophisticated and costly procurements in defence and aviation growing considerably, the simulation industry is keeping pace
and is huge. From this issue, we are introducing a section on simulation which will give updates, trends and insights into an industry
which relies on precision, cost-saving, safety and training.

Jayant Baranwal

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

www.spsmai.com

SP’s Exclusives By SP’s Special Correspondent

Chinook wins Indian heavy-lift
chopper competition

PHOTOGRAPH: US Army

I

t has been a close fight, but a winner has finally emerged. The
US-built Boeing CH-47F Chinook has emerged as the most
competitive offering in a two-way race against Russia’s Mi-26T2
for the Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift helicopter requirement. While
both helicopters performed well in field evaluation trials (both
were reported to have met requirements and were found compliant), it is understood that the Chinook won out on price—which
includes a matrix of unit flyaway cost of each machine, ownership
cost (which includes life-cycle and operating costs) as well as the
cost of maintenance and transfer of technology.
The Ministry of Defence will shortly open contract negotiations
with Boeing for a contract that could top $1-billion. The Chinook’s
victory is Boeing’s second big win in just the last few weeks—earlier
in October, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne announced
that the government had chosen Boeing’s AH-64D Apache Block

III to meet a requirement of 22 attack helicopters. In that competition too, the American-built helicopter beat a Russian competitor,
the Mi-28N Night Hunter. The IAF is said to have been impressed
with both the Chinook and Mi-26T2, and was apparently equally
willing to operate either aircraft. Indeed, it already operates a small
number of old generation Mi-26s at its Chandigarh air force station. One of Boeing’s strategies against the Mi-26 has been to focus
on the advantages and inherent operational flexibilities of a tandem rotor helicopter, which allows mission commanders greater
leeway for special operations and high altitude missions.
Concerns had already been prevalent in the IAF over maintenance and serviceability of the Mi-26 fleet. With the Chinook, Boeing’s win register in India is positively ringing. The Chinook joins
the AH-64D Apache, P-8I Poseidon for the Indian Navy (with more
likely to be contracted) and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 5

SP’s Exclusives By SP’s Special Correspondent
Army scouts for
heliborne AEW

T

he Indian Army is looking for brand
new eyes in the sky, floating a requirement for an unspecified number of
helicopter-borne early warning systems. It
is understood that the Army will be looking
for a system that can be integrated with the
existing ALH Dhruv airframe, though it is
unclear if this will be an all-new product on
new airframes, or retrofitted on an existing
number of Dhruv units already in service.
Principally a sensor package for full
integration with the Dhruv platform, the
Army is looking for a system for early warning of aircraft and land units, stand-off surveillance and intelligence gathering. AEW
units will give the Army a valuable tactical
battlefield asset, currently missing in its
flying inventory. Smaller heliborne early
warning units, like the Navy’s Russian-built
Ka-31 helicopters, will provide huge flexibility for precise applications. It is under-

stood that the Army would prefer an indigenous solution, and has already begun
discussions with companies including the
Bharat Electronics Limited. SP

BrahMos fired from
INS Teg

PHOTOGRAPHs: SP’s Special Correspondent, IAF Aerospace Safety

B

rahMos has been test-fired from
INS Teg, the Indian Navy’s new
stealth frigate, the first of the follow-on Talwar class warships built at the
Yantar shipyard in Russia. The test off the
Goa coast was said to be entirely successful—the INS Teg has fired a BrahMos
once before during pre-induction trials in
Russia. Her follow-on ships, the Tarkash
and Trikand, will also be armed with the
BrahMos in a vertical configuration.
In a related development, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared
a procurement of air-launched BrahMos
missiles worth `6,000-crore for the IAF.
The air-launched variant of the BrahMos
has undergone carriage trials, but hasn’t
been test-fired yet. Sources say the modified missile could see a debut firing in the
coming weeks, perhaps in December. The
air-launched BrahMos sports a reduced
booster and fins for stability during separation at air-launch.
Each Su-30MKI will be able to carry
a single BrahMos on a belly hardpoint.
The IAF hopes to modify at least 40 Su30MKI air dominance fighters to be
capable of deploying BrahMos. India and
Russia are currently working on a hypersonic version of the BrahMos, designated
BrahMos 2. SP

6 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

IAF for 12 more
Cheetals

W

ith the reconnaissance and surveillance helicopter (RSH) competition delayed interminably, the
IAF has decided to contract for 12 Cheetal
helicopters as a stop-gap for its logistics supply forces in northern Ladakh. The Cheetal
created a world record for high altitude
landings at Saser Kangri in November 2004
after which it was first made available to the
Indian military.
A re-engined version of the Aerospatiale
Alouette-II/Cheetah, Hindustan Aeronautics

Limited (HAL) will build the dozen helicopters on a fast-track basis—the second such
supply order from the IAF for the souped
up light helicopter. The Cheetal had initially
been met with some skepticism by the Indian
military—owing mainly to the demand for a
new transmission system failing to find its
way into the final product. However, following certain field trials, the Army and IAF both
appear convinced that the Cheetal is a viable
stopgap ahead of the new RSH units, a decision on which, could be taken this financial
year. HAL is also developing a light utility
helicopter to address a requirement of 184
helicopters for all three services. SP
www.spsmai.com

Interoperability
prevails here.

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Enhanced situational awareness

networked communication that military forces around the world rely on for

SP’s Exclusives By SP’s Special Correspondent
New search and
rescue systems
for Indian military
aircraft

T

roubled by the inordinate time it
takes in determining the location of
a crashed aircraft, sometimes with
a potentially human cost as well, the IAF
has decided to go in for a large number of
search and rescue systems. A global bid is
being formulated at this time, and is likely
to be a large tri-services effort for all aircraft in service.
Reports suggest that the equipment
being scouted will involve a search and

Apache: Most potent
attack helicopter

PHOTOGRAPHs: Wikipedia, US Army

T
rescue module on all fighters, transports
and helicopters of all three services,
and will also include portable modules
that will be part of all units, allowing for
quick reaction during an emergency or
accident. Sources say the equipment
will include the now-standard ability to
detach and float to the surface in the event
of an accident over water—a mandatory
requirement for naval aircraft. In the last
two years, on two occasions, the IAF has
had to spend days, if not weeks, hunting
for crash sites, forced to keep the status of
crew ‘missing’ since their fate could not
be conclusively established. SP
for more, log on to:

www.spsmai.com

8 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

he avatar of the venerable Apache
that the Indian Air Force has chosen – the AH-64D Apache Block
III – as the winner in its 22 copter bid, is
perhaps the most potent attack helicopter in the world today. While it is unclear
how many of the 22 platforms will come
with the Longbow sensor system, the US
Army currently has one Longbow in every
three Apaches. The Block III aircraft that
has won the IAF competition has been
designed for increased flight performance – this involves a new airframe, an
improved drive system, a 701D engine
with an enhanced digital engine control
unit and, significantly, an upgraded main
rotor with all composite rotor-blades. Boeing has also infused improved situational
awareness through a cognitive decisionaiding system for pilots, allowing them
to maker quicker decisions more easily.
Improved survivability, targeting and fratricide prevention – crucial for a hot battlefield scenario – get a ramp up with integrated aircraft survivability equipment,
instrument flight rules and meteorological conditions. The Block III is a notably
lighter helicopter than its previous avatars
– for instance in the Block III, a single mis-

sion computer replaces three separate systems on earlier models. The Block III also
comes with additional fuel tanks, an integrated helmet and display sight system
with an electromagnetic tracker. The Block
III’s communication suite has also been
vastly improved with an enhanced data
modem. A subtle, yet significant change,
is also the forward avionics bay. Certain
equipment that is likely to be withheld as
a result of India not being a signatory to a
CISMOA agreement with Washington will
be replaced with Indian systems manufactured by BEL and certain private companies – some of these systems are in the
process of being identified.
The Apache legacy is a formidable one. As
of June 2012, the platform in its many variants
has flown over 3.5 million hours over 28 years
and spent 9,30,000 combat hours in ongoing
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq – missing
that include combat air patrol, convoy escort,
rapid reaction, close-combat attack and
armed reconnaissance. The US Army has an
acquisition objective of 690 of the AH-64D
Apache Block III , adding to 678 remanufactured aircraft and 54 new build aircraft in the
Block I and Block II configurations. There are
11 international customers for the Apache,
with Boeing identifying “significant ongoing
international interest for new and remanufactured AH-64Ds.” SP
www.spsmai.com

MILITARy Viewpoint

PHOTOGRAPH: indianvanguard.wordpress.com

Lt General (Retd)
P.C. Katoch

Our enemies
are hell bent
on fanning our
internal fires
and contiguity
to international
borders is hardly
a pre-requisite
for pumping
weapons, fake
currency, drugs
and infiltration
into India

Fanning
the fires
T

he recent (September 2012) recovery from Silodar forest (on border of Bihar and Jharkhand) of
a US-made Colt and Hart-manufactured M-16
rifle (a prohibited bore by US Army), an Italian pistol
and UK-made bulletproof jacket from an arms supplier Praful Malakar and CPIM/Maoist, Zonal Commander Anil Yadav needs to be viewed extremely
seriously. Simultaneously, an AK-56 was recovered
from Patna. Then was the news that the CEO of a
Hyderabad-based company, Leckon Infra Private
Limited, and seven employees of the same company
were arrested while en route to supply 50 kg of explosives to the Maoists on the Andhra-Odisha border.
The CEO (named Bhupal)
was reportedly carrying the
explosive in his own SUV in
addition to mobile phones,
batteries and Maoist literature in the form of books in
Telugu. Leckon Infra Private Limited is working on
projects worth `291 crore
in the Maoist-affected areas
of Odisha and Jharkhand.
Possibilities of Leckon Infra
Private Limited having been
infiltrated by Maoists and/or
coerced by Maoists to supply
explosives under threat exist.
When insurgency broke
out in the Kashmir Valley in
1989-90, some people talked
about how long such a ragtag movement with countrymade weapons could survive. What followed is for all
to see. The same ragtag-cliché was being attributed to
the Maoists over the years despite the Prime Minister describing it a major threat to national security all
along. The Maoists may have earlier relied on weapons
and equipment snatched from security forces aside
from country-made ones but not anymore. Besides,
the Maoists dubbed ‘ragtag’ had in their very opening
rounds displayed deadly adeptness in use of explosives, their core group having had extensive training
from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The manner in which they are expanding their
`1,500-crore annual income through extortion and
looting also has the telltale mark of the LTTE, with
expanding poppy farming (Taliban style) perhaps on

advice from Lashkar-e-Toiba/Al Qaeda. The manner,
in which sophisticated and secure Chinese communication equipment was discovered from underground caches in Odisha few months back, carefully
wrapped and sealed for future use, too had the LeT
hallmark. Uzis and AK-47s had been discovered earlier in Maoists hideouts as well as a number of laptops albeit government liked to keep the latter under
wraps. Now China is supplying assault rifles to the
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Manipur and the
Maoists through Kachen rebels in north Myanmar.
The Maoists have now commenced their operations
in Assam as well.
Endeavour of both China
and Pakistan is to synergise
the insurgent outfits in India
to create a compact revolutionary zone (CRZ) all along
the foothills of Himalayas
from Jammu and Kashmir
to Assam and link this arch
through the Maoist-affected
states right down to Kerala in
the South. Kerala is already
infested by LeT and the
Popular Front of India (PFI)
having picked up weapons
against the Indian state.
There are already some 40
million illegal weapons circulating in India with an
annual trade of $4 million.
Our enemies are hell bent
on fanning our internal fires
and contiguity to international borders is hardly prerequisite for pumping weapons, fake currency, drugs
and infiltration into India. The nexus between the CPI
(Maoist) and PLA of Manipur is growing stronger and
the latter is providing training to Maoists in Jharkhand
and Saranda forests. Should Begum Khaleda Zia and
her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) return to
power in Bangladesh in 2014, the anti-India terrorist
camps in that country are likely to be revived. India
needs to make concerted efforts to address the Maoists insurgency. Mere statements that the issue will be
resolved in next two to three years will not suffice. SP
The views expressed herein are the personal views of
the author.
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 9

MILITARY Report

Tactical Communication System
Indian Army programme
[ By Lt General (Retd) P.C. Katoch]

W

hy a Tactical Communication System (TCS) for
the Indian Army approved in principle by two successive Defence Ministers years back was delayed
by a decade plus and made forward movement
only recently will remain a mystery. After every
approval by a Defence Minister, the case was simply shut and a fresh
file opened. Heads would have rolled in another country but in the
cacophony that is India, everything is doable.
The project was originally scheduled to commence in year 2000
(christened TCS 2000) but never saw the light of the day. Later, this
was given the name TCS 2010 but has really started moving forward
only from year 2009. The Indian Army actually required a TCS more
than two decades back with its requirement increasing exponentially to accommodate existing and future war-fighting concepts that
encompass mobility, fast paced manoeuvres and rapid dispersion
aside from Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), battlefield transparency, exchange of information, speedy target acquisition and the requirement to make quick decisions.
A flexible threat reaction demands very mobile units which may be
spread over a large geographical area. If the forces are to operate under
a centralised management and at the same time retain their mobility,
heavy demands are put on the communication system. These demands
will be in the form of security, survivability, and protection against electronic warfare. A TCS is used within/in direct support of tactical forces.
Since future military tactical communication networks must be
highly mobile, survivable and reconfigurable, TCS for the Indian Army
must be designed to meet changing tactical situations and varying environmental conditions, provide secure communications (voice, data
and video) effectively linking mobile users of all tactical units in field.
TCS is a system that is meant for offensive operations, configured
as a mobile system that can leapfrog in sync with rapidly advancing
Integrated Network Platform
Network Connect Centre

PHOTOGRAPHS: SP Guide Pubns

strike operations – covering offensive elements of both the ‘strike’
and ‘pivot’ corps. Important requirements for the radio system are:
ESM and ECM resistance; integrated voice and data to the user; performance matching projected user demand (like error detection/
correction, quality, delays); effective use of transmission medium;
interoperability; flexibility in deployment; survivability; provision of
user mobility (carry options, easy access etc).
The overall network concept in the tactical battle area (TBA) is
primarily divided into two main levels – static communications and
mobile. The static communication part is being catered for by the
Indian Army going full steam with a new optical fibre cable (OFC)
network, especially since the military was made to surrender 3G
spectrum in big way. Absence of TCS and patchy availability of OFC
in TBA has also been adversely affecting trials and fielding of operational information systems even though we have had a full-fledged
corps for undertaking field trials. The TCS when fielded with requisite mobile terminals network, will fulfill a long-standing critical
operational void of the Indian Army.
10 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

With TCS for the Indian Army first announced in 2009, expression of interest (EOI) was sent out to number of domestic IT businesses seeking a consortium to develop an indigenous communications system. Present estimated cost of the TCS of about `10,000 crore
(approximately $1.8 billion) may go up considerably going by past
experience. The system is to be a robust, snoop-proof, mobile, cellular
network for the Indian Army’s voice and data communications during
battle, allowing integrated communication, from battlefield to command headquarters and include everything from cellular telephones
to equipment sensors.

The jinx of namesake private sector participation in defence sector
and that too majority ‘through’ The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and PSUs appears to have been broken in
the case of the TCS that was classified as a ‘make’ project. In the case of
the TCS too there were strong pressures to award the contract outright
to the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) but better sense eventually
prevailed and Indian Army’s sustained recommendations to treat the
DRDO, PSUs and private sector as level playing field were honoured.
Some media reports that there was intense debate among
Indian Army officials about going public with the development of
the system because of security concerns and it is the Indian Army
who wanted BEL to head the project without going to tender were
misleading and mischievous. Indian Army’s stand all along has been
for opening up indigenous private industry to the defence sector in
order to get the best state-of-the-art products but erstwhile government decisions have had other considerations. The Indian Army,
in fact, has been wanting the switch from ‘best price’ to ‘best technology’ for a long time but has evoked no government response. By
seeking domestic design and manufacture of the system, the government is seeking to better integrate and improve the competitiveness of the private indigenous IT sector into defence production.
Few details of the EOI were released because of security concerns but it stated that “the contribution of the Indian industry in
acquiring and developing technologies in critical areas shall be a
key criterion in assessment of various proposals.”
The documents were sent to five private companies and three
PSUs. These five private companies are Tata Power’s Strategic Electronics Division, HCL Infosystems, Wipro Technologies, Rolta India
and L&T. Tech Mahindra, another major player in indigenous IT sector, failed to qualify as an Indian company because of foreign holdings
higher than 26 per cent. Expectations are that indigenous components of the TCS will be at least to the tune of 80 per cent. Sensing the
threat from PSUs, three private companies who were given separate
invitations to bid – Larsen & Toubro; Tata Power (Strategic Electronics
Division); and HCL joined forces (distribution of stakes in the consortium being L&T, 56.67 per cent; Tata Power (SED), 33.33 per cent;
and HCL 10 per cent) to bid together. The TCS contract is India’s first
“make” contract with considerable financial outlay.
That means, in accordance with the Defence Procurement Policy (DPP), the government would select and fund two vendors, who
will each build a prototype of the high-tech TCS system. The government will then select the winner, who will be awarded the contract to
build seven TCS for seven corps of the Indian Army. The two developers selected by MoD are BEL and the consortium comprising L&T,
Tata Power (SED) and HCL. The TCS will be a fully mobile communications grid, which can be moved anywhere during war providing
an army corps a backbone network on which to communicate and
transfer large volumes of data.
The exchanges and switches will be installed in high-mobility
vehicles, large data like video streaming will be possible and security and ECM measures will be incorporated. The developers have
reportedly submitted a detailed project report (DPR) defining every
system, sub-system, and capability of the TCS. Development cost of
the prototype is likely to around `300 crore of which the government
would fund 80 per cent. This is a big opportunity for the indigenous
private industry to prove their mettle and come up with state-of-theart prototype. If they fail, it would have ramifications for them on
other projects like the BMS (battlefield management system) that
may have an eventual financial outlay that is 8-10 times the TCS by
the time it is fully fielded. SP
The author is a veteran Lt General of the Indian Army retired as
Director General Information Systems.
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 11

MILITARY Report

Tactical Communication Systems
ICTEC challenges and opportunities
[ By Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand]
“My vision of a military network is one in which the users are transparent to the complexities of network engineering and are a part of
one universal space.”
— Lt General S.P. Kochhar, SO-in-C, Signals

T

echnology has caused revolutionary changes in the field
of defence communications, surveillance and weaponhandling capabilities. In modern and future battlefields,
demand for real time/near real time situational awareness
for decision-making has also increased considerably, which
implies that the requirement of voice, video and data has become very
large. In such a scenario, the successful integration of sensors, shooters
and the decision-makers is achieved by networking numerous communications, electronic warfare and cyber elements using multiple
media for various levels of operations and geographical boundaries.
Military communications therefore translate information superiority
into combat power and are a catalyst for operational success which is
being achieved by networking the information communication technology (ICT) elements using multiple mediums including:
• Optical fibre cable and high capacity point-to-point wireless
systems in the strategic sphere.
• High capacity point-to-point and point-to-multi-point wireless systems, mobile ad hoc wireless systems (based on
numerous technologies like WiMax, Tetra, GSM and CDMA)
and meshed combat net radio (based on IP and software
defined radio) in the operational and tactical spheres.
• The access is achieved by using high capacity wideband wireless access systems, optical fibre cable and field cables in both.
• An overlay of satellite provides ‘beyond line of sight redundancy’.
A network-centric force will have the ability to share and
exchange information in near real time between various geographically distributed operational elements like: sensors, regardless of

Tactical Communication System

PHOTOGRAPH: DG Signals

T

he need for a state-of-the-art tactical communication system (TCS) has been long felt and Project TCS was conceived to bridge the gap between the existing and contemporary technologies in this sphere. TCS will be the foundation
of the Indian Army’s communication network which will be a
robust, snoop-proof, mobile, cellular network for voice and data
communications during battle. It will allow integrated communication at multiple levels and include a broad range of subsystems from cellular telephones to equipment sensors. With
the selection of two development agencies, Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL) and a consortium of Larsen and Tubro (L&T), Tata
Power SED and HCL Infosys Ltd, TCS, has become the first mega
project to reach the design and development stage of the ‘Make’
procedure under the Defence Procurement Procedure 2011. The
Indian industry is being given an opportunity to participate in
the project and exhibit its prowess. SP

12 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

platform; shooters, regardless of service affiliations; and decisionmakers and supporting organisations, regardless of location.
The management of such a large array of systems has many challenges. Spectrum management becomes complex as it is crowded with
an increase in the applications which require larger bandwidths. Thus
modern communication systems exploit information communication
technology, electronics and cyber (ICTEC), as complex and complementary sub-systems of military communication networks. Therefore,
as a part of the Army’s transformation process, replacing civil-oriented
ICT philosophy (primarily a systems framework) to a military-oriented
ICTEC philosophy (a networks structure) is inescapable and will contribute immensely in developing and fielding the TCS.
Keeping the vision of transforming the Indian Army into a netcentric force, Corps of Signals, the communication arm of the army
alongwith the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) jointly is
organising DEFCOM, an annual seminar-cum-exposition. This year
­DEFCOM 2012 will be organised on November 8-9 at the Manekshaw

Centre, New Delhi for which the curtain-raiser event was organised
on July 27, 2012, where the brochure of the seminar was released.
The theme for this annual event has been aptly chosen as “Tactical
Communication Systems: ICTEC Challenges and Opportunities”. The
objective of the seminar is to enable defence officers, academia and
the industry to understand user requirements and propose befitting
solutions for the tactical battle area (TBA). The seminar will be carried out in three technical and two workshop sessions. The session
on “Robust Networks for Tactical Communications” will focus on the
ability of tactical networks to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
The session on “Supporting Net-centric Operations through Wireless
Technologies” will compare constraints in the current commercial 3G
and 4G wireless networks with software defined radio-based wireless
networks capable of self-organising themselves for broadband wireless access in the TBA. The session on “Mitigating Security Threats
in Tactical Networks” will discuss measures to make tactical networks
secure and robust. The session on “Human Capital Transformation in
ICTEC Era” will focus on challenges and opportunities in this field. It
will also recognise the strengths of military veterans who are a valuable, disciplined and trained force available to the industry. SP
www.spsmai.com

MILITARY Updates
India and Indonesia to step up
defence cooperation

I

ndia and Indonesia decided to significantly enhance their
defence cooperation with the Defence Minister A.K. Antony
declaring his meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro as a ‘turning point’ and an ‘excellent beginning’.
This was the first Ministerial level biennial defence dialogue
between the two countries. The two sides exchanged views on a
whole range of issues relating to regional and global security, bilateral exercises involving Services, training,
co-production of defence equipment and
ammunitions and visits at high levels.
The defence dialogue mechanism at
the highest level was agreed upon during
the visit of Indonesian President SusiloBambangYudhoyono to India in January
last year.
Antony said the threat of terrorism
perpetuated by State and non-State actors
affects all of us equally. Antony said some
times, the acts of individual terrorists and
terrorist organisations are also actively or

New TOW missile
achieves 100th direct hit

PHOTOGRAPHS: PIB, MDA

R

aytheon Company and the US Army
achieved excellence in recent flight
tests of the tube-launched, opticallytracked, wireless (TOW) missile. In September, the team scored its 100th TOW hit,
which marked the successful engagement of
100 out of 100 targets.
During the testing programme, which
began in 2011, several missiles hit targets
beyond 4,000 metres with zero inches of
deviation from the aim point in either altitude or azimuth, demonstrating accuracy
and reliability.
“TOW continues to build on its legacy as
one of the most accurate and effective precision assault weapon systems in militaries
around the world,” said Scott Speet, Raytheon Missile Systems’ TOW program director. “At the same time, it remains the most
affordable missile in its category.”
The TOW weapon system features a family of multimission missiles fired from a variety of ground and helicopter platforms. Wireless TOW missiles include an RF transmitter
added to the missile case and an RF receiver
located inside the missile. Since no launcher
modifications were required for the transition to wireless, this growth in capability is
transparent to TOW customers.
The tube-launched, optically-tracked,
wireless weapon system, with the multimission TOW 2A, TOW 2B, TOW 2B Aero and

otherwise encouraged by allowing such organisations safe refuge
and other forms of support. “It is seen that there are countries from
where terrorists are free to launch their operations against other
countries. This cannot be tolerated. The world is paying a heavy
price for such mindless policies. No country should allow its territory to be used for any form of terrorism, directed against any other
country or its people.”
Dealing at length the power rivalries in the Indian Ocean
region (IoR), Antony said although these are being conducted in
local theatres, the impact is felt in the wider regional arena and
also globally. He said, we have a stake in
the maintenance of peace and stability
in our immediate and extended neighbourhood. This includes the entire Indian
Ocean region to our east and west. “We
have a vital stake in the evolution of balance security and cooperation mechanisms through which we can build consensus and pursue dialogue. We seek to
improve our partnership with all countries in the Indian Ocean Region on bilateral basis as well as through multilateral
for a like IONS, IOR-ARC etc,” he said. SP

TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is the premier
long-range, precision anti-armour, antifortification and anti-amphibious landing
weapon system used throughout the world
today. TOW is in service in more than 40
international armed forces and integrated
on more than 15,000 ground, vehicle and
helicopter platforms worldwide. The TOW
weapon system is expected to be in service
with the US military beyond 2025. December
2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the TOW
missile programme, with more than 6,50,000
missiles produced. SP

MDA conducts biggest
missile defence test

T

he Missile Defense Agency (MDA), US
Army soldiers from the 94th and 32nd
Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC); US Navy sailors aboard
the USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62); and airmen
from the 613th Air and Space Operations
Center successfully conducted the largest,
most complex missile defence flight test
ever attempted resulting in the simultaneous engagement of five ballistic missile and
cruise missile targets.
An integrated air and ballistic missile
defence architecture used multiple sensors and missile defence systems to engage
multiple targets at the same time. All targets
were successfully launched and initial indications are that the terminal high altitude
area defence (THAAD) system successfully

intercepted its first medium range ballistic target in history, and Patriot advanced
capability-3 (PAC-3) near simultaneously
destroyed a short range ballistic missile and
a low flying cruise missile target over water.
The live-fire demonstration, conducted
at US Army Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan test site,
Hickam AFB, and surrounding areas in the
western Pacific, stressed the performance
of the Aegis ballistic missile defence (BMD),
THAAD, and Patriot weapon systems.
An extended long-range air launch target (E-LRALT) missile was air-dropped over
the broad ocean area north of Wake Island
from a US Air Force C-17 aircraft, staged from
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
The AN/TPY-2 X-band radar, located with
the THAAD system on Meck Island, tracked
the E-LRALT and a THAAD interceptor successfully intercepted the medium-range
ballistic missile. SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 13

he Middle East is a hotbed of defence activity and two
countries – Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates – are
on a major buying spree. At the 23rd edition of Euronaval
2012 in Paris, which concluded recently, Saudi Arabia
was under the arclights. Saudi Arabian Navy’s intent to
overhaul its French-built F-2000 frigates and oilers at an estimated
contract worth $1.3 billion has enthused US and French companies.
Saudi Arabia’s neighbour, another oil-rich country, the United
Arab Emirates has expressed interest in buying a small, corvette-sized
combatant and Lockheed Martin, Austal and Fincantieri have reportedly made their offers. Lockheed Martin has on offer a scaled-down
version of its 116-metre littoral combat ships, while Austal has put forth
its 80-metre multi-role vessel (MRV). Fincantieri from Italy has an edge
as it is already fitting out the Abu Dhabi, 89-metre-long large corvette,
besides building the first two 56-metre Falaj 2 class patrol boats.
Away from the Middle East, South Korea has ordered its 100th
ship-borne Sigma 40 inertial navigation system from Sagem (Safran
group), confirming its confidence in the system’s laser gyro technology. The Sigma 40 is a high-performance ship-borne inertial
navigation system. It is available in different versions to cover operational needs for warships, from corvettes to nuclear submarines.
This latest Sigma order consolidates Sagem’s leadership with
the world’s most powerful navies. Part of the ship’s combat system,
the Sigma 40’s high-precision measurements contribute to weapon
accuracy and performance.

West Looking at East

That Western OEMs are increasingly looking at emerging markets
to shore up their dwindling revenues is a truism and at Euronaval it became clear when there were nearly 76 official delegations
from various countries. Organised under the joint patronage of the
French Ministry of Defence and the Secretariat of State for the Sea,
as in previous years, Euronaval reaffirmed its position as the leading
international naval defence and maritime safety and security event.
The show covered spheres ranging from naval sovereignty to state
action at sea with respect to maritime safety and security, including
the enforcement of public order at sea, marine navigation and fisheries policing, and maritime and coastal surveillance. It sought to highlight innovations by French and international players in the naval sector and new technologies in what is a high-tech industry.
Le Bourget, the venue of Euronaval, gave adequate play for naval
drone manufacturers—both underwater and aerial—and satellite
applications in communications, navigation, defence and security.
In all, Euronaval attracted close to 400 exhibitors from 35 countries
and trade visitors from 100 countries with growing participation
from Germany, Brazil, the UK and Russia, with, for the first time, a
Korean shipyard among the exhibitors.
Over a period of five days, Euronaval attract market influencers and buyers from across the sector, 76 official delegations,
and 300 guests of honour from over 60 countries, including highranking government figures, i.e. ministers and the equivalent,
secretaries of state, navy chiefs of staff and national armaments
14 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

Sagem’s SIGMA 40 navigation
systems surpass 8 million hours of
operation in service

T

he SIGMA 40 shipborne inertial navigation system built
by Sagem (Safran group) has passed the mark of 8 million
hours of operation in service, demonstrating exceptional
reliability as shown by feedback from many of the world’s navies.
These results underscore the superiority of laser gyro technology for navigation systems being operated in harsh environments.
Part of the ship’s combat system, the SIGMA 40 features highprecision measurements, reliability and performance stability
over time. It significantly enhances the efficiency of a warship’s
sensors, weapons and self-defense systems.
Several versions of the Sigma 40 are available to cover the
different operational requirements on all types of ships: surface
vessels (from corvette to aircraft carrier), and the SIGMA 40XP
version for conventional, AIP or nuclear submarines.
The SIGMA 40 has been chosen by 35 navies, and is now the
best-selling naval inertial navigation system in the world.
The French navy has chosen the Sigma 40 for all major ships:
FREMM and Horizon multimission frigates, Mistral command and
force projection ships, Rubis-Améthyste class nuclear attack submarines and the future Suffren class nuclear submarine (Barracuda
program), and most recently the Adroit ocean-going patrol boat
from the DCNS. In international markets, the SIGMA 40 has been
chosen for Baynunah corvettes (United Arab Emirates), Skjold patrol
boats (Norway), the new stealthy frigates and Scorpène submarines
(India), and PKX patrol boats, FFX frigates and, most recently, modernization of U-209 submarines (South Korea). SP

directors. From an OEM perspective, there were key launches by
several companies.

DCNS a World Leader in Naval Defence

DCNS was present in full strength at Euronaval and some of its innovative products at Le Bourget were surface combatants; submarines,
besides its service offerings.
One of the highlights was FREMM-ER (Extended Range) with
its enhanced anti-air capabilities. Thanks to its four-panel phasedarray antenna and continuous hemispherical coverage, the new
radar can detect and track threats at unprecedented ranges enabling
the combat management system (CMS) to exploit the ship’s current
and future weapons systems to the full. These capabilities are particularly important for littoral operations, in bad weather and against
increasingly stealthy threats.
Gowind range: DCNS is currently developing a Gowind version for mine countermeasures (MCM). The ship is being tailored to
deploy unmanned vehicles designed specifically to detect, identify
and destroy underwater mines.
www.spsmai.com

Show Report Euronaval 2012
For the Gowind Combat, DCNS is
designing a new superstructure module
comprising, in a single building block,
the bridge, ops room and enclosed mast.
This module will be deliverable to partner
shipyards as part of contracts calling for
local shipbuilding.
Submarines: The Andrasta compact
submarine is designed to operate in shallow littoral waters as well as deep ocean
waters. A direct descendent of the Scorpene,
it is remarkably effective in all roles close to
coasts. Recent advances have focused on
improved acoustic discretion, improved
sonar detection capabilities, particularly in
coastal environments, and additional provision for intelligence gathering; an essential
role in coastal theatres. Endurance has also
been extended to three weeks.
Services: The stand also presented the
Group’s global service offering. Drawing
on experience acquired serving the French
Navy and international customers, DCNS
offers a range of services (technology
transfers, teaching programmes, training,
simulation solutions, etc.) to help client
navies make the best use of their assets,
maintain them (through-life support programmes, upgrades, etc.) and manage
naval base infrastructure (design, construction, operation and/or maintenance,
integration of defence-critical facilities,
shipyard refurbishment, etc.).

Following the successful deployment of the
Vigile DPX radar electronic support measures system on the British Royal Navy’s
Type 45 class destroyers earlier this year,
Thales introduced the system to the international market for the first time.
‘This is a ground-breaking new radar
system,’ Phil Naybour, head of UK maritime
activity at Thales UK, told a media briefing.
Navies now see themselves in a cluttered littoral environment due to radar
use from both military and civilian operators, Naybour explained, so the DPX uses
a wideband digital receiver to directly
sample the full bandwidth of the radar
RF spectrum instantaneously. Operators
can then detect signals otherwise hidden
behind this clutter.

Eurocopter’s Naval and Maritime
Helicopters

ous operational requirements, Eurocopter
helicopters are counted on for such missions as anti-submarine and anti-surface
warfare, anti-piracy and anti-smuggling
missions as well as coastal or deep-sea
maritime search and rescue operations.
Built by NH Industries, a consortium
formed by Eurocopter, AgustaWestland
and Fokker, the NH90 was just one of the
models on show. To date 122 NH90s have
been delivered to customers, 18 of them
the NFH naval version. The fleet has now
clocked up a total of 30,000 flight hours,
mainly in SAR missions performed in
especially demanding environments and
also in the Afghan theater of operations.

Andrasta compact submarine

Eurocopter’s extensive range of helicopters for naval and maritime
missions was on display. The company displayed models of the
NH90 NFH, the AS365 N3+ and the AS565 MB/Panther.
Eurocopter’s participation in this biennial event underscored the
decades of experience the company has acquired in naval and maritime helicopters. With a diversified product line tailored to numer-

Raytheon Anschütz launched the Synapsis Command Bride, an innovative system
solution for OPVs, smaller naval and coast
guard vessels. It is a combination of commercial-off-the-shelf navigation with command and control capabilities to a new,
homogeneous bridge system.
The Synapsis Command Bridge
aims to provide a solution that not only
includes the Synapsis Integrated Navigation capabilities but also transfers
enhanced command and control capabilities from the Raytheon Anschütz’
SmartBlue surveillance system to a new
sea-based application.
Thomas Lehmann, System Engineer at
Raytheon Anschütz, said, “The Command
Bridge comes as a scalable ‘off-the-shelf’
solution which is standardised to save
unnecessary non-recurring engineering
costs whilst at the same time remaining
flexible enough to accommodate different
sensors and weapon systems appropriate for different missions. Smaller vessels
such as OPVs and fast attack crafts without requirements for a dedicated combat
information centre can be easily equipped
to handle a variety of threat scenarios and
missions efficiently and effectively.”

Atlas Electronik SeaSpider
in the Front

Atlas Electronik showcased a SeaSpider
and a SeaHake torpedo as models, besides
the UUV SeaOtter. Also on demonstration
was its “Low Frequency Active Towed
Array Sonar” for surface ships ACTAS and
a mine countermeasure container model. Furthermore the company exhibited its ‘Expanded Flank Array Sonar’ (EFAS), which
ideally complements the submarine sonar sensor suit.
As said earlier, the highly advanced, sophisticated and scalable
technologies are mainly coming from the Western OEMs, while the
markets are elsewhere. Nonetheless, Euronaval will continue to be a
good hunting ground for naval systems. SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 15

Aerospace Developments
India thinking of slashing
FGFA orders

T

he Indian Air Force is contemplating slashing the orders for
the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) from 200 to 144,
according to the Air Chief, Air Chief Marshal, N.A.K. Browne.
India’s order will be for the single-seat models.
The stealth aircraft is being jointly developed by the the Hindustan Aeronatics Limited (HAL) and Russian Rosoboronexport
and Sukhoi in a 50:50 joint venture. Russia is currently testing a
handful of prototypes of the T-50 aircraft, which is due to enter service with the Russian Air Force after 2017.
The first prototype is expected to be delivered to India in 2014,
followed by two more in 2017 and 2019. Series production aircraft
“will only be ordered based on the final configuration and performance of the third prototype,” Browne said. SP

Cassidian develops
engineering support
system for Eurofighter

but also to be tailored to the specific requirements of other nations.
Cassidian was awarded the development contract by the German Federal
Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support
(BAAINBw) in early October. The new system is being developed at the Military Air
Systems Centre in Manching in cooperation with the German Air Force, and will be
delivered to the customer in 2014. SP

KC-390 development
cost savings of
$42 million

PHOTOGRAPHS: Sukhoi, Embraer, Cassidian

C

assidian is developing a new engineering support system (ESS) for German
Air Force Eurofighter. The Cassidian
ESS acts as an interface for the exchange of
maintenance data with the aircraft, the analysis of aircraft and engine data, structural
loads, and the interpretation of error messages from the Eurofighter avionic systems.
A successor to the present ESS – which is
used by the four Eurofighter core nations – is
needed in order to provide optimum support
for future equipment upgrades to the Eurofighter as of software version SRP12 (P1E). In
addition, the new system is fully connected
to the Bundeswehr’s logistics information
system (SASPF – standard application software product families). The Cassidian ESS
will also improve the operational capability
of the German Eurofighter fleet, for instance
significantly shortening the inspection times
between consecutive missions.
The ESS has a modular design and
contains a standard interface for linking it
to various logistics systems. This not only
enables it to support other weapon systems,
16 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

T

he Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and
Embraer have reduced contract costs
of developing the KC-390 aircraft by
about $42 million, after a reassessment of
the contract held on October 19.
This reduction was only possible thanks
to the joint efforts of the Coordinating Committee for Combat Aircraft (COPAC) of
FAB and Embraer, which, through the Programme Executive of the KC-X Project, conducted analyses and used modern management tools to good effect. SP

Telephonics awarded
contract for IFF systems

T

elephonics corporation, a whollyowned subsidiary of Griffon Corporation, has been awarded a $60 million
multiyear contract from the Air Force Life
Cycle Management Command (AFLCMC),
Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.
Telephonics will supply the AN/UPX-40
identification friend or foe (IFF) Interrogator
for integration on to the USAF E-3 sentry airborne warning and control (AWACS) aircraft
including installation kits, installation, and
sustainment support.
The Telephonics’ family of interrogators
is the only IFF interrogators to achieve DoD
AIMS certification in all modes including
mark XII, mode 5, mode S, and multi-channel
ADS-B. The AN/UPX-40 provides the USAF
AWACS aircraft with an unprecedented air
surveillance capability in support of the integrated command and control battle management capability. The real-time air surveillance picture provides situational awareness
of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility,
battle management of theatre forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle
space, and early warning of enemy actions
during joint, allied and coalition operations.
“With 50 years experience designing, developing and delivering IFF systems
throughout the world, Telephonics is uniquely
qualified to field the most advanced military
surveillance radar on the world’s premier
airborne surveillance platform in support of
the warfighter,” said Kevin McSweeney, Chief
Operating Officer of Telephonics Corporation.
“We are very proud of our legacy of high performance surveillance and excited about the
future of this important product line.” SP
www.spsmai.com

n October 31, Saab India Technologies gave a presentation
on its latest state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance, reconnaisance (ISR) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems
during a workshop in New Delhi. The workshop was organised as
a part of the Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week 2012. Especially
on offer was its latest Skeldar rotary-wing UAV which according to
Joanna Sjolander, Marketing Director, Saab India Technologies Pvt
Ltd, could adequately meet India’s current and projected security
requirements.
Skeldar has been developed as a fully autonomous and mobile
short-to-medium range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
unmanned aerial system (UAS). It is suitable for a wide range of sensor applications to perform missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance and identification. The Skeldar can reportedly hover for
hours while providing real-time information to a control station or
to a remote video terminal. It is controlled by high-level-commands
such as “point-and-fly” and “point-and-look”, and designed for a
range of land, maritime and civil applications.
The Skeldar system consists of two air vehicles and a mobile SOS
control station. Based on operational and technical requirements,
the system may be integrated into a wide variety of segments and
system environments utilising a common control concept and user
interface in the context of command, control and payload management. The Skeldar UAS is a highly capable system and the system
can be operated by just two to four people, owing to the ease of use,
no take-off and landing equipment, and the low logistical footprint.
The Skeldar can perform a wide range of functions, including
surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, dissemination of
target data, control of indirect fire and immediate assessment of
battle damage. By being the primary system for these functions,
day and night and in diverse weather conditions, the Skeldar UAS
becomes the commander’s ‘dominant eye’.
Skeldar UAS can become a key collection asset in supporting
near real-time visualisation of the battlespace. The agile flight envelope of Skeldar air vehicles provides key characteristics (see Table)
for successful operations and missions, especially in urban areas

and difficult terrain. Launch and recovery from easily accessible and
small areas, keeping pace on the battlefield, as well as find, hold and
maintain optimal aspect to area and point of interest, are all easily
performed with ease due to its rotary wing design.
In the Skeldar system instead of using a conventional ‘joystick’,
the entire flight envelope is controlled by a set of ‘buttons/switches’.
The operator initiates take-off by pressing a button, points at an
appropriate ingress point, setting the Skeldar air vehicle’s speed and altitude. This control technique is known as point-and-fly. If the straightest
way to the ingress point is not possible, the operator can still easily set a
route by pointing on the map to define a number of waypoints. During
the mission the aircraft files autonomously and allows the operator to
quickly investigate a large number of points or interest simply by pointing on the map. This control technique is known as ‘point-and-see’.
The system can be effectively used for land, naval and civil applications. However, it was pointed out that the problem of take-off
and landing from rolling (and pitching) marine decks, especially of
smaller vessels, was still in the process of being sorted out through
innovative ideas. A suggestion by the SP’s M.A.I. representative to
try out gyro-stablised platforms which could be supplied as add-ons
to the main system and could be hooked on to a vessel’s deck, when
required, was well taken. SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 17

internal security News

India, Bangladesh security talks

T

he 13th meeting of the Home Secretaries of India and Bangladesh was held recently at Dhaka. The Indian delegation
was led by R.K. Singh, Union Home Secretary, and the Bangladesh delegation was led by C.Q.K. Mustaq Ahmed, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.
The two Home Secretaries expressed satisfaction at the visit
of both delegation to Agartala–Akhaura Integrated Check Post
(ICP) to review the existing infrastructure, and noted that this
would facilitate trade between Bangladesh and India, particularly
Northeast. They also welcomed the opening of several land ports

Integrated check posts for bilateral trade between Bangladesh and
India. Both sides agreed to allow developmental work including
construction of ICPs/LCSs within 150 yards of zero line. Both sides
also agreed to constitute a high-level team to monitor development of border infrastructure.
They took note of the outcome of the 12th JWG meeting on
security issues held on October15, 2012, wherein the two sides discussed issues such as land boundary demarcation, border management, security issues, implementation of agreements, visa and
consular related issues and capacity building, etc.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the smooth operation of
coordinated border management plan (CBMP) and agreed to
increase number of joint patrolling with a view to curbing criminal
activities along the border.
They noted with satisfaction that the implementation of the
CBMP has reduced the number of incidents along the border.
They expressed confidence that increased number of coordinated
patrolling would enhance cooperation between the border guarding forces of the two countries, and enable them to manage the
identified vulnerable areas with a view to preventing criminal
activities, illegal movement, acts of violence and loss of lives along
the border areas. As an additional measure for better border management, both sides agreed to revive the mechanism for regular
consultations between the Deputy Commissioner and the District
Magistrate of border districts for resolving local issues.
Both sides agreed to further intensify the activities of the different nodal points in different areas of cooperation such as human trafficking, drugs, Interpol, etc. They expressed satisfaction at the regular
interaction of different bilateral mechanisms, including BGB-BSF
DG level meetings, Narcotics DG level meetings, JWG on security
issues, etc. and noted that these regular exchanges helped to enhance
understanding and resolve issues for mutual satisfaction. SP

Kanwaljit Deol appointed DG of NHRC

K

anwaljit Deol, IPS has been appointed as Director General
(Investigation), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Her appointment will be on deputation basis from the date of
assumption of charge of the post or till the date of her superannuation or until further orders, whichever is earlier. SP

PHOTOGRAPH: PID Bangladesh, United States Department of Homeland Security

Pranay Sahay to be new DG of CRPF

P

ranay Sahay, IPS presently working as DG, SSB and holding
additional charge of Director General, Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF) has been appointed DG, CRPF on regular basis
with effect from the date of his taking over the charge of the post and
till his superannuation or till furthers orders, whichever is earlier. SP

US testing blimps, surveillance
towers on Mexican border

I

n 2011, the US Government ended SBInet, a major and unsuccessful attempt to build a virtual fence along the border that cost
nearly $1 billion before it was killed; DHS is now testing aerostats, and an 80-foot tower with similar surveillance capabilities, for
border security as part of an effort to exploit technologies that have
been used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The US Border Patrol is testing two blimp-shaped helium-filled
balloons, which are on loan from the defense department, on the
Mexican border. Congressional staff members joined DHS and

18 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

Defense Department officials recently near the border town of
Roma, about 415 km south of San Antonio, to see what the aerostats
can do. Members of the media were given a more limited glimpse of
the devices’ capabilities.
The technology has already proven successful in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Now US officials think the blimps could be helpful in
tracking drug smugglers and illegal immigrants on a rugged stretch
of the Rio Grande that does not have a border fence. SP
www.spsmai.com

internal security Cyber

A national model for
Cyber protection-Raytheon way
[ By Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand]

I

n today’s cyber security environment there is no way to prevent
a determined intruder from getting into a network as long as one
allows e-mail and web surfing. The reasons for this are due to the
majority of information assurance architectures rely on patching
and configuration control for protection. It also relies on signatures for both protection and detection. Therefore, when you have to
let the attack vector (an e-mail or a web address) past your perimeter
to the desktop, you are virtually guaranteed to have successful penetrations. Raytheon thus believes the best way to address this is to recognise that attackers will get into your network and expand our defensive actions to detect, disrupt, and deny attacker’s command and
control (C2) communications back out to the network. Such a strategy
focuses on identifying the websites and IP addresses that attackers
use to communicate with malicious code already infiltrated onto our
computers. While some of these sites are legitimate sites which have
been compromised, the majority are usually new domains registered
by attackers solely for the purposes of command and control. There is
little danger of unintended consequences from blocking these websites and their associated IP addresses for outbound traffic. Raytheon
has had success with this strategy, but it requires a significant investment. It is of primary importance to measure the threat is the intruder’s dwell time in the network then the number of penetrations thus
the effort should be for making the effective dwell time zero.

Dwell Time

There are two ways to reduce the dwell time of an intruder, both of
which are being pursued by Raytheon. The first is to detect the malicious outbound traffic in a network but requires a large investment.
The other method is collaboration with other operational entities
which is affordable by all. Many other organisations regularly report
C2 channels which can be shared with others formally or informally
through Information sharing and analysis centres, defence industrial
base cyber task force, infraguard, etc. It is in the collaboration realm
that Raytheon believes there is an opportunity for a national scale
effort that can turn collective effort to our advantage in the cyber battle.
While there is no national-scale framework in place, there is a
model that has already proven effective fighting other cyber security
problems. The model involves a set of trusted entities developing
threat information and reporting voluntarily (with non-attribution)
to a central source, which consolidates the information and rapidly
disseminates it to a very large user community which is already being
used for the highly successful antivirus and spam filtering industries.
Raytheon proposes the same model be used to disseminate information on attacker C2 URLs and IP addresses and automatically block
outbound traffic to them. If attackers get into your network but cannot
get back out the attack is effectively thwarted.
Raytheon thus proposes a model for setting up a National Cyber
Threat Protection Service to implement a C2 disruption strategy. The
model includes positive incentives for every participant. This is a voluntary Industry-Government Cooperative Model for Disrupting Malicious
Cyber Command and Control which involve three types of entities:
• Threat Reporters. Threat reporters are organisations with the
detection and analytical capability to discover command and con-

•

•

trol sites via malware reverse engineering or traffic analysis. Organisations, be they commercial, private, or governmental, would apply
to be certified as threat reporters and have their reports of C2 channels accepted as valid.
Some third party, presumably a government entity, an industry consortium or some hybrid of the two, would be responsible for certifying potential threat reporters against a moderate standard of inhouse capabilities.
National Cyber Threat Response Centre (NCTRC). The role of
the NCTRC is to serve as a central threat clearing house for processing reports of C2 URLs and IP addresses from threat reporters and
rapidly distributing them to the community of firewall device vendors. By having a central point disseminating the information to all
vendors equally we avoid the problem we face with antivirus today
where not all vendors detect all threats. The NCTRC would also deconflict erroneous reporting that resulted in disruption to legitimate
activities. The NCTRC would maintain a ‘reputation index’ (e.g. credibility rating) for each reporter much like seller ratings on eBay. By
this feedback loop a threat reporter could be decertified (i.e. no longer have their reports accepted or be able to claim Threat reporter
status in their marketing). The NCTRC must be a single organisation
focused on rapid dissemination of actionable information.
Firewall Vendors. Vendors for firewall devices (the term here being
used in its most generic sense) would accept the new threat information and push it out to their devices in the field the same way antivirus and spam filtering vendors push new definitions today. Producers of devices that are capable of blocking outbound web traffic
would accept the data from the clearing house, reformat it as appropriate for their device, and push it out to their customers as quickly
as possible. Traditional desktop or network firewalls, web proxies,
and routers would all be capable of performing this function, thus
giving network owners a wide variety of products from which to
select based on their architecture and investment tolerance. The
vendors would differentiate themselves from each other not only on
price, but also on their speed of updates and value-added services
such as the ability of their customers to manually override the lists
or their ability to provide reports to network owners.

Common Operational Picture

Perhaps one of the key side benefits of this model is that it could be
the basis of a true Common Operational Picture (COP). If every firewall device supporting this model not only blocked the outbound
traffic, but also—again, voluntarily—reported back to the clearing
house that there was a blocked C2 attempt from their IP address
it would, given the potentially hundreds of thousands of devices
reporting in, represent a very accurate picture of the scope of any
given attack or campaign. For example if the IP space of all nuclear
power plants is known, a COP could show attempts to access the
same C2 sites from multiple power plants which could indicate a
concerted effort to compromise the plants.

Risks

The main risk associated with this model is the risk of blocking a legitimate website that has been taken over by an attacker for use as a C2 site
or downloader site but this risk will be small compared to the gain. SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 19

CORPORATE News
Bharat Dynamics pays
highest dividend

S

.N. Mantha, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat
Dynamics Limited (BDL) presented a dividend cheque of `47
crore for the financial year 2011-12 to the Defence Minister
A.K. Antony recently.
The dividend by BDL, a Hyderabad-based public sector unit
under the Ministry of Defence, works out to 40.87 per cent on the
paid-up share capital of `115 crore.
This is the highest-ever dividend paid by Mini-Ratna Category–1 Company, which has achieved a record turnover of `959
crore during the financial year 2011-12.
To meet the growing demands of the Indian armed forces, BDL
has embarked on an expansion drive. The company is setting up
shortly its fourth manufacturing unit at Amravati in Maharashtra
and the fifth one at Ibrahimpatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Recently, the company has signed two contracts with the
armed forces for refurbishment of vintage missiles held by the services. With this, BDL has added another business line to its field
of activity.
In its pursuit of self-reliance in the field of critical technolo-

GE Aviation ties up with Brazilian
maintenance companies

A

mobile app developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation
that quickly calculates transportation requirements for large
quantities of operational rations is available for free through
the Apple App Store.
Boeing Super Hornet partner GE Aviation recently signed
memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Brazilian companies
to become potential suppliers for the programme’s global supply
chain, strengthening the in-country component of Boeing’s F/A-18
offering for the Brazilian F-X2 fighter jet competition.
The MoUs with Grauna Aerospace S.A., Increase Aviation Service Ltd., TAP Maintenance and Engineering and AKAER provide
local expertise in different areas of aircraft maintenance, manufacturing and engineering.
The memoranda outline the potential for GE Aviation to develop
programmes with the Brazilian companies to establish long-term
aircraft support within Brazil. The programmes would include technology transfer as well as training in maintenance and assembly and
engine inspection and testing. SP

Saab to acquire Medav

PHOTOGRAPH: PIB

D

efence and security company Saab AB has acquired 100 per
cent of the German company Medav, specialised in the application of signal processing, pattern recognition and information technology, for approximately MEUR 27 (about MSEK 229). The
acquisition strengthens Saab’s product portfolio within radio monitoring and intelligence fusion systems.
Medav is a leading provider of signal, electronic and communication intelligence. The acquisition advances Saab’s position in
radio monitoring and intelligence fusion systems and strengthens
the market presence globally as well as in Europe. The acquisition
provides a growth platform from which Saab can build on the combined installed base and skills in systems engineering, design and
integration. Medav customers and partners will benefit from Saab’s
overall product portfolio and global support operations.
20 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012

gies, BDL has productionised imaging infrared seekers for Nag
anti-tank guided missile. The ToT was given by DRDO. With this,
BDL has joined the elite group of companies producing Seekers in
the world. SP

Medav will continue operations in Germany as a fully owned
subsidiary within the Saab Group. SP

Cassidian to provide TETRA radio
communication system to
Jaipur Metro

C

assidian, an EADS company, and its Indian system integrator
partner Fibcom India Ltd. have been selected to provide digital TETRA radio communication coverage for the new Jaipur
Metro Rail in Rajasthan. The TETRA radio communication system
will support train dispatching, operations and management, thus
ensuring an efficient and safe running of the Jaipur Metro. Deliveries will begin in November 2012 and the system will be in place in
time for the planned opening of the new metro by mid-2013.
As the system and technology supplier, Cassidian will provide stateof-the-art DXT3c switch with five TETRA base stations (TB3), a Network Management Software (NMS) and an Automatic Vehicle Location Service (AVL). In addition, 350 specialised TETRA radios (THR9i
& TMR880i) will be deployed on the trains. Cassidian will also be in
charge for training and onsite technical support services and will join
forces with the system integrator, Fibcom India Ltd. to meet the special
needs of metro operations of the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC).
“This landmark win has positioned Cassidian as a leading supplier of TETRA communication system for the emerging mass transportation market in India. We are committed to contribute to further
developments of secure mission critical communication solutions for
public safety in India.” says Peter Gutsmiedl, Cassidian India CEO.
“We will draw on our wide experience in deploying advanced
TETRA-based mission critical communication systems for metro rail
networks internationally to make the Jaipur Metro project a success.
Our team based in India is building local expertise in collaboration
with our partners and is delivering customised TETRA solutions to
our Indian customers on time and on budget,” adds Ehud Weizman,
Head of Sales for Mission Critical Communication Solutions, Public
Safety, Indian Subcontinent. SP
www.spsmai.com

SIMULATION
CAE wins contracts from
Kuwait Air Force

C

AE has announced that it has won a series of military contracts valued at approximately C$200 million, the majority of
which involves long-term, recurring training services.
They include a contract from the United States Navy to develop
a KC-130J full-mission simulator for the Kuwait Air Force under a
foreign military sales (FMS) programme and the United States Air
Force exercising the option for the third-year of KC-135 tanker aircrew training services in addition to contract modifications to perform a range of KC-135 simulator upgrades. CAE has also signed
long-term training services contracts
with an Asian military customer.
“We are pleased to welcome the
Kuwait Air Force to the long list of customers who have selected CAE as their
provider of C-130 training systems
and services,” said Gene Colabatistto,
Group President, Military Products,
Training and Services, CAE. “The Middle East and Asia are markets that are
increasingly offering a solid pipeline of
opportunities, and we are seeing some
good potential for upgrade business as
defence forces look to leverage simulation-based training for more of their
training requirements. Global militaries continue to believe in the funda-

Thales’s Reality H simulator achieves
dual qualification

PHOTOGRAPHs: CAE, Thales Group

T

hales has announced that
its Reality H helicopter
simulator installed at the
training centre recently opened
by helicopter operator SAF
group in Albertville, France, has
been granted FTD (flight training device) Level 3 and FFS (full
flight simulator) Level B qualification by the French Civil Aviation Authority, in accordance with
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) criteria.
FTD Level 3 and FFS Level B qualification allows this latest-generation system to be used for EC135 helicopter type-rating training,
and confirms its proven capacity (1) for recurrent training to support
annual revalidation of pilot licences, annual operator proficiency
checks (OPC) and line checks (in place of an actual helicopter). It
can also be incorporated as part of an ab-initio training programme
leading to a commercial pilot’s licence for helicopters (CPL H) or air
transport pilot’s licence for helicopters (ATPL H), including instrument rating (IR) and corresponding proficiency checks (PC).
The Reality H system provides highly realistic simulations of
flight conditions in a range of natural and man-made environments
(including mountainous terrain, coastal and urban areas), making it
suitable for training personnel to conduct specific assignments such
as SAR (search and rescue) and EMS (emergency medical services),
which are the main activities of the SAF Group’s EC135 fleet.
The qualification of the Reality H EC135 simulator was achieved

mental value of simulation-based training, and CAE is well-positioned
around the world to deliver a range of solutions designed to enhance
efficiency and save money while helping to maintain readiness.”
CAE has won a United States Navy contract to design and
manufacture a KC-130J full-mission simulator for the Kuwait Air
Force. The contract was awarded to CAE USA under the United
States FMS programme. Under terms of the contract, CAE USA will
design and manufacture a KC-130J full-mission simulator that will
be delivered in 2015 to Al Mubarak Air Base near Kuwait International Airport.
The simulator will feature the CAE true electric motion system, CAE Medallion-6000 image generator, and common database (CDB) architecture, which
enables real-time mission training and rehearsal capabilities. The
KC-130J full-mission simulator will
be certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to Level
D, the highest qualification for
flight simulators.
“This KC-130J full-mission simulator will support initial, recurrent
and mission training in-country
for Kuwaiti KC-130J aircrews, and
importantly, enable the Kuwait Air
Force to focus their fleet of KC-130J
aircraft on operational requirements,” said John Lenyo, President
and General Manager, CAE USA. SP

thanks to a powerful database built up from a series of real helicopter test
flights conducted in partnership with SAF. Thales uses the data to model
the flight mechanics and equipment represented in the simulator. SP

Quantum3D bags order for Mantis
3D software

Q

uantum3D, Inc., a leading provider of visual computing solutions for government and commercial applications, announced
today that it has received an order from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics for its Mantis real-time scene management software.
Quantum3D’s Mantis software is a powerful simulation application, providing fixed- and rotary-wing flight, ground vehicle, tank, mission rehearsal, and sensor simulation, as well as simulation of a wide
range of other commercial and military real-time 3D environments.
The Mantis software ordered by Lockheed Martin will equip
their Simulation Systems Integration Labs (SimSILs) at Fort Worth,
Marietta, and Palmdale. The Labs provide engineering simulation
services to internal and external customers for development of control laws and avionics, verification testing of operational flight programmes, analysis of lethality and survivability, and business development. The SimSIL facilities support Lockheed Martin’s F-22, F-35,
F-16, C-130, and C-5 platforms.
“Lockheed Martin’s decision to expand its Mantis footprint is a
testament to both the scope and integrity of Mantis’ extraordinary
real-time 3D scene management capabilities,” said Arthur Yan, President, Quantum3D. “As the complexities of global defence and commercial aerospace increase, Quantum3D is committed to providing
the highest-quality, most powerful, effective and cost-efficient simulation solutions anywhere in the world.” SP
Issue 21 • 2012 SP’S MAI 21

Internal Security Breaches

Drunken neighbour breaks into
Tom Cruise’s home

T

om Cruise’s drunk neighbour was apprehended by a security guard after accidentally breaking into the actor’s estate.
Officers were called to the star’s home in Beverly Hills
recently after the man was spotted climbing a fence to gain access
to the property.
The guards fired a stun gun at Jason Sullivan to stop him in his
tracks and then called cops to the scene. When officers arrived they
found the sozzled intruder attempting to flee and arrested him for
trespassing. Sullivan was taken to a local hospital for injuries caused
by the stun gun.
When cops grilled the tipsy trespasser they discovered he lived
next door to the actor and had tried to break into the wrong house.
Tom wasn’t at home when the incident took place. SP

UK Home Secretary greets doublemurder suspect in security breach

R

PHOTOGRAPHs: wordpress.com, 3bp.blogspot.com, Wikipedia

ecently, the UK Home Secretary Theresa May greeted a
double-murder suspect from
Pakistan in her home office which
has been termed as a shocking case
of security failure. Reports said that
Nasir Butt, a native of Pakistan, had
moved to UK in 1996 after he was
accused of murdering his two brothers and that a Pakistani court had
condemned him to death.
The UK Home Secretary who
was unaware of his antecedents
shook hands with Nasir Butt, who
is said to have ‘managed to slip’ in
with two official Pakistani delegates
who were on a prearranged visit. Subsequently, the Home Secretary
demanded explanation for the security lapse.
According to reports, Butt who came to UK in 1996 has been
granted asylum and he runs a dry cleaners and furniture store. SP

then tried to escape by trying to ram into the police car chasing
them,” he said. ACP Mohan Singh said the policemen fired seven
shots at the speeding car. SP

Security breach at Offutt AFB

R

ecently this year, a man was dead after being shot by Offutt
Security Force members. The suspect took off after Sarpy
County Sheriffs Deputies stopped him in a possibly stolen car.
The man tried to flee cops by driving onto the Offutt Air Force base
in Bellevue, but was shot three times after he used the vehicle as a
weapon towards guards.
Brigader General Donald Bacon responded, “Well, he ran
through the gate without stopping and with the equipment that we
have there there’s nothing else we could have done today.”
Brig General Bacon explained the SAC Gate only has speed
bumps and security force members to slow unwanted visitors
down. “We do have very important security concerns on the base.
We practice these incidents and we work hard to get this right. We
think our security force members did do this right,” he added. SP

Out on bail only to break into a
politician’s home

R

ecently in Kuala Lumpur, four men who were out on bail on
house break-in and car theft charges were arrested again
while trying to break into Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation Chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye’s house.
Cheras OCPD Asstistant Commissioner of Police Mohan Singh
said the policemen saw two of the men attempting to climb a wall into
Lee’s house while the other two waited in a nearby Mercedes-Benz.
“When my men approached, the two quickly got into the car and
all four drove off at high speed,” The chase ended less than a kilometre away at a condominium. “In their desperation, they crashed
through the boom gate at the condo’s security guard house. “They
22 SP’S MAI Issue 21 • 2012